Technical assessment team to look at Barabina road – Matarkai road to be rehabilitated

Georgetown GINA, June 09, 2016

A technical assessment team from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure will be heading to Barabina soon to check the condition of the Barabina Road. Earlier this week, reports surfaced showing the recently rehabilitated road, in a deplorable state.

Minister Ferguson told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that due to the inclement weather the road is in a deplorable state. “What happened is that early in the week I had consultation with the technical team and later in the week a team will be dispatched to the area to have a comprehensive assessment done,” Ferguson explained.

Following the assessment, the team will send a report with recommendations to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure on how to best remedy the situation.

Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Senior Hinterland Engineer, Naeem Mohamed, explained that the report will highlight three areas. “First it will look at the use of a hydrologist to study the water flow to see whether there is way to find alternative route to divert the water from Barabina itself. Next it will look at doing a geotechnical report within the area and lastly it will be looking at the feasibility of an alternative route to Barabina itself,” he said.

Based on those three areas the team will be able to determine if additional works on the road would be necessary or if an alternative route to Barabina would be created.

The Barabina road was rehabilitated about a month ago following a visit to Mabaruma by Minister Ferguson during which she inspected infrastructural works in the area.

Additionally, the Matarkai access road will also be rehabilitated. A sum of $70M was allocated in the 2016 budget for rehabilitation works on the road which will be carried out in two phases.

“We went out to Tender Bids, they were received, and evaluation was done and forwarded to the National Procurement Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) for final review. So it’s just for them to do their analysis with their recommendation and have it forwarded to cabinet for no objection. If cabinet approves the project the contract would be awarded for works to commence immediately,” Ferguson said.

According to the road Senior Hinterland Engineer, Naeem Mohamed, there are sections of the Matarkai road that need to be urgently rehabilitated. Those sections will have lateritic material and stone content for sturdiness. The road will be upgraded and shaped to prevent flooding during rainy season.

Heavy rainfall in Matarkai, Region One has turned the Matarkai access road into slush making travel difficult for residents.